Basketball season comes to sudden end; Mid-Coast teams impress at track states

(Ed. Note: The swimming and skiing state meets weren’t complete in time for this edition. We’ll recap those events next week)

The end came suddenly for Mid-Coast basketball teams last week in the quarterfinal round of the Eastern Class A tournament.

The news was a little better on the hockey and track fronts. Here’s a glimpse:

Boys’ basketball

Mt. Ararat’s boys’ basketball went 10-8 this winter and wound up sixth in Eastern A, but unfortunately for the Eagles, they drew No. 3 Edward Little, the two-time defending regional champions in the quarterfinals. The Red Eddies won the two regular season meetings by an average of 21 points and continued their dominance at the Augusta Civic Center, ending Mt. Ararat’s season at 10-9 with a 66-48 decision.

Brunswick, was the eighth and final entrant with a 9-9 mark. The Dragons were also one-and-done, courtesy of No. 1 Bangor, 67-38, and finished 2010-11 at 9-10.

Hyde and Morse didn’t qualify for the playoffs this season.

Girls’ basketball

On the girls’ side, the shock of the tournament, regardless of class or gender, happened on the first day, Friday, when No. 1 Morse, after a 17-1 campaign that triggered talk of a Gold Ball, was stunned, 53-43, by No. 8 Messalonskee. The Shipbuilders finish 17-2.

Fifth-ranked Brunswick, after a solid 12-6 regular season, had hopes of a run, but the Dragons ran into No. 4 Cony in the quarterfinals. The Rams beat Brunswick for the third time this year, 41-32, to advance to meet Messalonskee.

No. 6 Mt. Ararat went out in the quarterfinals courtesy No. 3 Hampden Academy, which ended the Eagles’ year at 9-10 with a 47-27 decision.

Hyde was not a playoff team this season.

Boys’ hockey

The boys’ hockey regular season has come to a close and the playoffs begin Tuesday.

Brunswick finished its campaign on Feb. 10, when it beat host Massabesic, 3-2. The Dragons wound up 8-9-1 and appeared to be out of the postseason mix, but they wound up earning the seventh and final Eastern A spot and will go to No. 2 St. Dom’s (12-4-2). Back on Dec. 20, Brunswick lost 4-1 at home to the Saints.

Mt. Ararat wound up 4-12-2 after a 6-2 home loss to Edward Little in the finale Saturday.

Track

At the Class A state track meet Monday at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham, Mt. Ararat’s boys tallied 61 points to come in second behind Scarborough (68). Brunswick (37.5) placed fifth.